Ice cube maker and dispenser



Aug. 25, 1959 J.'F. HORTON, JR

ICE CUBE MAKER AND DISPENSER Filed Dec. 3. 1956 IN VEN TOR. Ja/m E #ozmv, J2.

A rrag/vsv J. F. HORTON, JR

ICE CUBE MAKER AND DISPENSER 4 SheetsSheet 2 Filed Dec. s, 1956 INVENTOR. JOHN E HaPMA/JE.

J. F. HORTON, JR

ICE CUBE MAKER AND DISPENSER Aug. 25, 1959 Filed Dec. 3, 1956 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. Jay/v E HofiwN. JP.

ATTOE/VEY Allg- 1959 I J. F. HORTON, JR 2,9

ICE CUBE MAKER AND DISPENSER Filed Dec. 3, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 fmf K82] INVENTOR.

JOHN E HOETO/V, Je.

A 7' TOENE Y United States Patent O 2,900,803 ICE CUBE MAKER AND DISPENSER John F. Horton, Jr., West Islip, N.Y.

Application December 3, 1956, Serial No. 626,014

2 Claims. (Cl. 62-157) This invention relates to an ice cube making and dispensing device adaptable for installation within a conventional home-type mechanical refrigerator, or as a com plete, separate machine.

My device is a compact unit comprising a water reservoir, a series of freezing tubes of substantially rectangular cross-section dependent therefrom, within which ice columns are formed by freezing coils with flat con-tact surfaces helically wound around the series of tubes, connected to the source of refrigerant supply, thermostatically regulated, an electrical 110 volt heating element helically wound around and insulated from the series of freezing tubes connected to a 110 volt current supply through an electrical timer element, releasing upon. activation the ice columns and enabling them to drop and protrude from the bottoms of the tubes to a predetermined extent, a cutter severing the protruding ice portions, oper ated by a hand lever which also activates the timer element, and a movable trough collecting the severed portions and making them accessible outside the refrigerator.

The primary object of my invention is to provide .such a unit which can be installed Within the 'door of the conventional home-type mechanical refrigerator, which will make, and dispense outside the door, as many ice cubes as from time to time are desired.

It is a further object of my invention to provide such a device of simple and inexpensive construction, requiring the minimum of attention and care.

It is a further object of my invention to provide such a device which may be incorporated in a separate self-contained ice making and dispensing machine.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an isometric view of a conventional home-type mechanical refrigerator.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section of the ice cube dispenser through line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an isometric view of the cutting means.

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section through line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an isometric view of the exterior of the dispenser.

Fig. 6 is a cross-section through line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a cross-section through line 7-7 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a cross-section through line 8-8 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 9 is a diagram of the electrical circuit.

Fig. 10 is a front elevation of a stopper assembly of the bottom ends of the tubes.

Fig. 11 is a plan view of the same.

The drawings show a four tube ice making and dispensing device in accordance with this invention, installed within door 2 of conventional home-type refrigerator 1. The number of tubes may be varied to suit the number of cubes desired.

It is secured to door front 3 by angle irons 5 fastened to water reservoir 10.

Freezing tubes 25 open into reservoir 10 and depend from it, their upper outer edges being flanged, the flange 27 overlapping opening 12 in bottom 11 of reservoir 10, a

2,900,803 Patented Aug 25, 1959 2 water tight joint being made between flange 27 and bottom 11. Tubes 25 are substantially rectangular in crosssection and are arranged side by side in series. They are made of aluminum or other suitable material.

Reservoir 10 is provided with a multiple float valve 20 comprising a support 21 carrying four float cups 22, support 21 riding on guide posts 23 mounted on flange 27, each cup being positioned above an opening 26 of tube 25.

Multiple float valve 20 allows water to enter tubes 25 as long as reservoir 10 contains water; When reservoir 10 becomes empty, float valve 20 drops and hermetically against tubes 25 for more eflicient cold transfer.

seals openings 26 of tubes 25, preventing the downward movement of the ice columns until reservoir 10 is refilled, thereby lifting float valve 20. The open position of multiple valve 20 is shown as 18 in solid lines, Figs. 2, 4, and the closed position in broken lines as 19.

Reservoir 10 is provided with a filling aperture 13, closed by cap 15. In the device shown, reservoir 10 is filled by hand, but it may be filled through a connection with the house water supply system, in which case a flexible or pivotal connection would be required to allow for the swing of door 2.

Refrigerant coils 30 are helically wound around the exterior surfaces 31 of the series of freezing tubes 25 (Figs. 5, 6), starting sufliciently below reservoir 10 to avoid freezing the water in reservoir 10. Coils 30 should be half-rounded in cross-section, with the fiat side 32 Coils 30 are connected with the refrigerant coils of refrigerator 1 and cycled thermostatically at the tops using solenoid valves to direct the refrigerant into the regular compartments of refrigerator 1 or into the ice cube dispenser shown herein, or both, as required. A thermostat 35 is indicated in Fig. 4 for the foregoing purpose, without details as these are well known.

Refrigerant coils 30, are connected to the refrigerant V coils of refrigerator 1 by flexible connections 33 passing around door hinge 6 (Fig. 8), to accommodate the swinging of door 2.

An insulated electric heating tape 40 operating on a 110 volt current is helically wound around freezing tubes 25 (Figs. 2, 5). It is connected to the house 110 volt source of current 42 through a mechanical cycle timer indicated as 45 in Figs. 2 and 9. Timer 45 is a well known timer, of the button type, which rewinds itself. It is normally open, and when activated closes the circuit for a prescribed interval, in this case a 10 second interval will suflice.

Conductors 41 pass around door hinges 6 and have sufficient flexibility to allow door 2 to open and close without obstruction.

Timer 45 is mechanically activated by operating lever 75. The depression of operating lever depresses button 46 of timer which activates timer 45 and closes the circuit, which remains closed for 10 seconds and then opens. The circuit will remain open until timer 45 is again activated.

This period of 10 seconds is suflicient to heat freezing tubes 25 to an extent releasing the ice columns therein from the side walls of tubes 25, allowing the ice columns to drop down tubes 25 the prescribed extent.

Trough 55 having pull handle 56 is positioned below tubes 25 to receive the cut ice cubes. It is supported by track arms 57 extending from bracket 58 to door front 3 and secured to the latter by anglev irons 78. A slotted track 59 is formed in track arms 57 receiving flanges 60 of trough 55. A stop member 62 is mounted on the innermost portion of trough 55 underneath tubes 25 to limit the extent of drop of the ice columns therefrom to that desired. Stop member 62 also prevents the complete withdrawal of trough 55 by its contact with the front wall 3 of door 2.

Portion 65 of bracket 58 contacts the back walls of tubes 25 serving as an impact shoe against the cutting operation.

The ice cutting means comprise a row of teeth 70, one for each tube 25, the vertical components 70' of which are mounted upon bar 71 to which is angularly secured operating lever 75.

Bar 71 is pivotally mounted-in angle irons 72 secured to the door front 3. Operating lever 75 extendsthrough slot 73 in door front 3, its handle-protruding therefrom.

Top 76 and bottom 77 of slot 73 are angularly inclined, the angle diverging outwardly.

Bar 71 is so mounted and the inclination of operating 7 lever 75 thereto is such, slot 73 conforming thereto, that in the normal position of rest, teeth 70' are in a substantially horizontal plane, slightly below front walls 25 of tubes 25, and operating lever 75 lies against top 76 of slot 73.

The cutting means are operated by depressing operating lever 75 to bottom 77 of slot 73 which also activates timer 45.

Upon severance of the protruding ice column portions, the pressure of the descending ice columns upon teeth 70 will return operating lever 75 to its rest position, which may be supplemented by employment of a spring.

Before reservoir is filled with water in connection with'the first use of the device, the bottom openings of freezing tubes 25 must be sealed and remain sealed until ice columns have been formed in tubes 25. Figs. 10 and 11 show a manually operated multiple stopper 80 which may be used for this purpose. It comprises a support 81 upon which are mounted in series corresponding to the series of tubes 25, four stoppers 82, one for each tube 25, and a handle 83. Multiple stopper 80 is inserted through slot 85 in bracket 58 underneath the bottom openings of tubes 25 and pressedupwardly, stoppers 82 entering tubes 25 and sealing their bottom openings. It is removed in the reverse manner.

Modifications and changes of the embodiment shown may be made without departing from the invention.

I claim:

1. An ice cube producing and dispensing device comprising a housing, an overhead water reservoir, a plurality of freezing tubes of substantially rectangular cross-section arranged in series in side to side contact, opening into and dependent from said reservoir, a multiple float valve mounted in said reservoir hermetically sealing said tube openings when said reservoir is empty, refrigerant coils having a flat contact side helically wound around the collective exterior surface of said series of tubes, connected to a refrigerant source thermostatically regulated, an electrical heating tape element helically wound around and insulated from said collective exterior surface of said series of tubes connected to a 1-1-0'volt current source through an electrical delay timer switch, normally open, a stop member mounted below the lower ends of said tubes for limiting the drop therefrom of ice columns formed therein to apredetermined extent, means for severing the portions of said ice columns protruding below the lower ends of said tubes, means operable from the housing exterior for actuating said ice severing means and closing said electrical delay time switch in sequence, and a trough slidably mounted below said stop member for movement to a position partially outside said housing.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1, including a multiple valve for sealing the lower ends of said tubes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 643,074 Sweeney Feb. 6, 19.00 2,199,413 Patrignanni May 7, 1940 2,422,772 Bohn June 24, 1947 2,488,529 Field Nov. 22, 1949 2,670,612 Huse May 2, 1954 2,721,452 Brandin May 12, 1955 2,775,099 Brown Dec. 25, 1956 2,786,335 Cary Mar. 21, 1957 

